Panthers expected to release QB Cam Newton after nine seasons

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It has been confirmed that after almost a decade together, The Carolina Panthers are officially parting ways with Cam Newton.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo report that the team will be releasing the former NFL MVP as soon as Tuesday.

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Last week, the Carolina Panthers granted Newton permission to seek a trade after a series of discussions between the organization and the athlete’s agents. For many, general manager Marty Hurney‘s announcement of the decision signaled the end of the quarterback’s nine-year run.

“One of the distinct pleasures of my career was selecting Cam with the first pick in the 2011 draft,” Hurney said in a statement.

“Every year difficult decisions are made and they are never easy. We have been working with Cam and his agent to find the best fit for him moving forward and he will always be a Carolina Panther in our hearts.”

In response, Newton publicly pushed back on Instagram that he didn’t request a trade at all and that clever wordplay was being used to misrepresent events behind the scenes. He also noted that the team “forced me into this.”

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“Cam is one of the all-time greats in Panthers history,” Panthers owner David Tepper said in his own statement.

“If you ask any of our fans for some of their most memorable moments, I’m willing to bet that most of them would include Cam — electrifying plays, giving away footballs after touchdowns, fun celebrations and big wins. His competitiveness and drive are rare. Off the field, you can’t measure Cam’s contributions. He has touched the lives of youth throughout the Carolinas and in Atlanta. He’s unique and I wish him all the best.”

To Tepper’s point, in 2011, Newton was the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft and very instantly became the face of the Panthers franchise. He led his team to three straight NFC South titles from 2013-2015, a Super Bowl and four total postseason appearances.

In 2015, he was also crowned the 2015 NFL MVP award and named to three Pro Bowls during his run in Carolina. But recently the 30-year-old underwent several shoulder surgeries and missed all but two games in 2019 season due to a foot injury that later required a procedure.